The airline said in a statement, via The New York Times, that they administered the tests to protect women from potential risks that came with pregnancy. The tests were primarily given to women hoping to fill cabin crew positions. And while it is true that women in their final trimester are typically advised against air travel, officials say the airline shouldn’t have adopted hiring practices that only discriminate against women. After all, Spain has strict laws prohibiting gender discrimination. Forcing pregnancy tests onto employees is in clear violation of those rules.

As of now, Iberia insists it never turned down a single candidate that had turned out to be pregnant.

As of now, Iberia insists it never turned down a single candidate that had turned out to be pregnant.

Instead, they claim, they have hired 5 out of 6 pregnant applicants within the past year. They also asserted that pregnancy test requirements were conventional practice in Spain. All this reminds us that there’s no doubt we’ve got a long road to go in the name of equality. Until then, keep your fingers crossed and pussy hats on deck. The future is female, and it’s in route.